Compact stance guide and method of use

ABSTRACT

A compact stance guide is disclosed to help the user achieve and hold a number of stances so that the holding of each stance provides a corresponding health benefit. The compact stance guide includes a foot engaging device, a body engaging device and a framing structure connected to the foot engaging device and the body engaging device. At least part of the foot engaging device, the body engaging device or the framing structure are objects in pre-existence and made for another purpose hence the thus formed stance guide becomes lower in cost and perceptually more compact in size. In a specific embodiment, the compact stance guide includes a separate feet board, two elbow-engaging members and an extensible balancing bar. The extensible balancing bar has two ends for engaging two opposing vertical surfaces of a preexisting object for support.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is the continuation-in-part of thus claims the benefit of the following U.S. patent application, hereafter referred to as Wu application Ser. No. 10/817,340:

Title: A Stance Guide and Method of Use. Inventors: Chang J Y Richard Wu et al, U.S. application Ser. No. 10/817,340, Filing date: Apr. 3, 2004.

Additionally, this application also incorporates by reference the above US patent application. Hence, inter alia, any references made to a figure that is within the range of from FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 should be understood to refer to a figure that is part of the Wu application 10/817,340.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of exercise apparatus. More particularity, the present invention is directed to stance guides for helping the user achieve and hold stances for corresponding health benefits.

2. Description of the Related Art

Numerous exercise equipments are available in the market today for a variety of human exercises. Typically a person, as for example in the case of a weight-lifting machine, performs a pre-determined sequence of movements while interacting with and moving certain parts of the exercise equipment to achieve corresponding health benefits. On the other hand, numerous other pseudo-static or even static forms of exercises either exist or are being discovered that also provides the person with health benefits. For example Tai-Ji Chuan from China, also known as shadow boxing, is a pseudo-static exercise known to benefit a person's body flexibility and general health. For another example, Yoga can be classified as a static exercise known to benefit a person's body flexibility and mental clarity. While it is not absolutely required to have an equipment accompanying the pseudo-static or static stances of these exercises, in many cases it is nevertheless helpful or even highly desirable to provide an accompanying equipment to guide and assist the user so as to increase the easiness and efficiency for achieving these stances. This becomes particularly important where achieving and holding certain specific stances are physically strenuous. For reasons of low product cost and easy handling, it is also desirable that the accompanying equipment to be compact in size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A compact stance guide and method of use are proposed to help the user achieve and hold one or more stances Sj, where j=(1, 2, . . . N) and N>=1, so that the achievement and holding of each Sj provides a corresponding health benefit to the user.

The compact stance guide includes a foot engaging device for guiding and engaging at least one foot of the user, a body engaging device for guiding and engaging at least one part of the user body and a framing structure connected to the foot engaging device and the body engaging device. Importantly, at least part of the foot engaging device, the body engaging device or the framing structure are objects in pre-existence and made for another purpose hence the thus formed stance guide is perceptually compact in size.

Various structural dimensions of the foot engaging device, the body engaging device and the framing structure relevant to guiding and engaging the user's feet and body are made adjustable to accommodate a range of body and feet variation of the user population.

The body engaging device also includes a hand engaging device for guiding and engaging the user's hand and a safe guard device for reducing the risk of an accidental fall of the user while trying to achieve and hold the stances. In a specific embodiment, the hand engaging device is an adjustable hand loop.

For the health benefit to be significant, the method of using the compact stance guide further includes, for each stance Sj, a recommended range of holding period per practice and practicing frequency.

A first set of specific stances S1, S2, S3 and S4, together with an associated first specific compact stance guide, are proposed to more easily and efficiently provide the health benefits of direct development of stronger body muscles and better body flexibility and indirect strengthening of the bladder muscles and nerves causing a reduction of frequent and excess habitual urination. The compact stance guide includes a separate feet board having a front and a rear foot panel, two elbow-engaging members, a balancing bar for mounting the elbow-engaging members. The balancing bar is extensible and has two ends for engaging two separated, opposing vertical surfaces of a preexisting object for support. The preexisting object also has a third bottom surface for placing and supporting the separate feet board. Some examples of the preexisting object are a door frame, a hallway and two trees separated by a ground in between.

A second set of specific stances S5, S6, S7 and S8, together with an associated second specific stance guide, are proposed to more easily and efficiently provide the health benefits of direct development of stronger body muscles and better body flexibility and indirect enhancement of sleep quality and reduction of body weight. Except for the separate feet board having three foot panels and that the balancing bar further including two end grips for positioning the user's hands of stances S5 and S6 through fist gripping, the second compact stance guide is the same as the first one.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 7 illustrates a stance S4 together with a corresponding compact stance guide and a preexisting object of the present invention, for the user to use thus achieving and holding S4 plus its intermediary stance S2 to realize a corresponding health benefit;

FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B illustrate the top view of a variation of the compact stance guide and the preexisting object of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B illustrate the front view and the top view of only the compact stance guide of FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will become obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, materials, components and circuitry have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessary obscuring aspects of the present invention. The detailed description is presented largely in terms of simplified perspective views. These descriptions and representations are the means used by those experienced or skilled in the art to concisely and most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art.

Reference herein to “one embodiment” or an “embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Further, the order of process flow representing one or more embodiments of the invention do not inherently indicate any particular order nor imply any limitations of the invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates the stance S₄ 4 together with a corresponding compact stance guide and a preexisting object of the present invention, for the user to use thus achieving and holding. Corresponding to the stance S₄ 4, the compact stance guide includes a separate feet board 100 e that in turn includes a front foot panel 100 a, a center foot panel 100 b and a rear foot panel 100 c. All foot panels 100 a, 100 b and 100 c are oriented and located substantially along the x-axis and spaced apart from each other by, although not shown here for simplicity, an adjustable x-spacing for guiding and correctly positioning the user's feet. Notice that an extra front foot panel 100 a is also included for additional flexibility of the compact stance guide. Thus, the user can alternatively engage his feet upon the front foot panel 100 a and the rear foot panel 100 c. Hence, the separate feet board 100 e provides the function of foot engagement and guidance for the stance S₄ 4. To engage and guide the user's body under stance S₄ 4, an adjustable left elbow-engaging member 120 a, an adjustable right elbow-engaging member 120 b and a fixed safety hand-engaging guard 120 e are provided. Notice that the fixed safety hand-engaging guard 120 e can alternatively be implemented as an adjustable safety hand-engaging guard 120 c of FIG. 2D. An optional display device 120 d is also included for displaying, for example, the duration of correctness of engagement of the user's feet and this was already described in Wu application 10/817,340. In essence, the elbow-engaging members 120 a and 120 b, the fixed safety hand-engaging guard 120 e and the display device 120 d are attached to a balancing bar 140 a. The balancing bar 140 a can include a left end grip 140 b and a right end grip 140 c for helping the user to mount and dismount the stance guide. To engage and guide the user's body under stance S₂ 2, the balancing bar 140 a acts to engage and guide the formation and positioning of the user's hands 40 and 42, both made into a gripping fist with palm side up as illustrated in FIG. 2A. Hence, the elbow-engaging members 120 a and 120 b, the fixed safety hand-engaging guard 120 e together with the balancing bar 140 a provide the function of body engagement and guidance for the stances S2 2 and S4 4.

Focusing now on an important aspect of the present invention by comparing FIG. 7 to FIG. 2D and FIG. 2A. To complete the compact stance guide under the present invention, the framing structure of FIG. 2A, having a connected set of left supporting truss 140 d, a right supporting truss 140 e and a bottom supporting truss 140 f, is now replaced with a preexisting object that is a door frame having a top door frame 150 b, a left door frame 150 a, a right door frame 150 c and a bottom door frame 150 d. Correspondingly, the balancing bar 140 a is provided with two end engaging devices that are, respectively, a left mounting flange 160 a with two mounting screws 162 and a right mounting flange 160 c with two mounting screws 162 for supporting the balancing bar 140 a upon the left door frame 150 a and the right door frame 150 c. Notice that the length of the balancing bar 140 a is adjustable, to be presently described in more detail, so as to provide a snug engagement to the door frame. It is also remarked that the mounting height of the balancing bar 140 a within the door frame can be adjusted to suit the user's body height as well. Of course, the bottom door frame 150 d works for placing thus supporting the separate feet board 100 e. For those skilled in the art, the preexisting object can be of a variety as long it serves the intended function of replacing the framing structure. For example, the preexisting object can be a hallway instead. For another example, the preexisting object can even be two trees separated by a ground outdoors. Additionally, the portion of the compact stance guide replaced by the preexisting object does not have to be limited to the framing structure. For example, the balancing bar 140 a can be replaced by a preexisting exercise bar in the park. It is further remarked that the end engaging devices do not have to be implemented with the mounting flange with mounting screws either. For example, the implementation can be a mounting flange with adhesive or even a magnetic mounting plate should the door frames 150 a and 150 c be made of iron or steel, more example to be presently described. In essence, by substituting preexisting objects for a portion of the stance guide, the thus formed stance guide becomes lower in cost and also perceptually more compact in size to the user while serving the same function as before. It should also become clear by now that the compact stance guide as described in FIG. 7 will also work for stances S1, S2 and S3. Furthermore, although not shown here for simplicity of presentation, by adding two end grips to the balancing bar 140 a with each end grip pointing in the negative x-direction for correctly positioning the user's hands of stances S5 and S6 through fist gripping, the compact stance guide will also work for stances S5, S6, S7 and S8.

FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B illustrate the top view of a variation of the compact stance guide and the preexisting object of FIG. 7. Notice that, as illustrated, the length of the balancing bar 140 a is adjustable so as to provide a snug engagement to the left and right door frames 150 a and 150 c of the door frame. The left-hand portion and the right-hand portion of the balancing bar 140 a are joined with a compression spring 143 with the y-position of the right-hand portion lockable through a combination of locking pin 144 and sliding slot 142. The two end engaging devices of the balancing bar 140 a are implemented with a left resilient bump 145 a and a right resilient bump 145 c. In FIG. 8A the compression spring 143 is locked in a highly compressed state hence the overall length of the balancing bar 140 a is set to be less than the clearance between the left and right door frames 150 a and 150 c. However, in FIG. 8B the compression spring 143 is released from its previous highly compressed state hence the overall length of the balancing bar 140 a is now expanded to snugly fit the clearance between the left and right door frames 150 a and 150 c with a corresponding deformation of the resilient bumps 145 a and 145 c.

To summarize with clarity, FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B illustrate the front view and the top view of only the compact stance guide of FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B. Again, it should be appreciated that the thus formed compact stance guide becomes lower in cost and also perceptually more compact in size to the user while serving the same function as before.

As described with numerous exemplary embodiments, a compact stance guide and method of use are proposed to help the user achieve and hold a number of stances Sj, where j=(1, 2, . . . N) and N>=1, so that the achievement and holding of each Sj provides a corresponding health benefit to the user. However, for those skilled in this field, these exemplary embodiments can be easily adapted and modified to suit additional applications without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Thus, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements based upon the same operating principle. The scope of the claims, therefore, should be accorded the broadest interpretations so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements. 

1. A compact stance guide comprising: (a) a foot engaging means for guiding and engaging at least one foot of the user; (b) a body engaging means for guiding and engaging at least one part of the user's body; and (c) a framing structure connected to said foot engaging means and said body engaging means wherein at least a portion of at least one of said foot engaging means, said body engaging means and said framing structure are objects in pre-existence and made for an apparatus other than the compact stance guide and the preexisting objects, upon engaging the non-preexisting parts of said compact stance guide form a stance guide that is perceptually compact in size and that helps the user achieve and hold one or more pre-determined stances Sj, where j=(1, 2, . . . N) and N>=1, such that the achievement and holding of each Sj provides a corresponding health benefit to the user.
 2. The compact stance guide of claim 1 wherein the structural dimensions of the foot engaging means relevant to guiding and engaging the user's feet and body are adjustable thereby accommodating a pre-determined range of user body and feet variation.
 3. The compact stance guide of claim 1 wherein the structural dimensions of the body engaging means relevant to guiding and engaging the user's feet and body are adjustable thereby accommodating a pre-determined range of user body and feet variation.
 4. The compact stance guide of claim 1 wherein the structural dimensions of the framing structure relevant to guiding and engaging the user's feet and body are adjustable thereby accommodating a pre-determined range of user body and feet variation ,
 5. The compact stance guide of claim 1 wherein said body engaging means further comprises a hand engaging means for guiding and engaging at least one of user's hands.
 6. The compact stance guide of claim 1 further comprises an optional display device, connected to said body engaging means, for selectably displaying one or more of said stances Sj as a visual aid to achieving and holding said stances Sj.
 7. The compact stance guide of claim 1 wherein the body engaging means further comprises a safe guard means for reducing the risk of an accidental fall of the user while trying to achieve and hold said stances Sj.
 8. The compact stance guide of claim 5 wherein said stances Sj comprise S1, S2, S3 and S4 being characterized by, with an x-y-z Cartesian coordinate wherein the x-direction is where the user body faces, the y-direction runs from the user's right shoulder toward his left shoulder and the z-direction runs vertically upwards: (a) S1: both feet flat with heels against the ground and centered in a sagittal plane of the body, left foot in front of and spaced as far ahead of right foot as possible, left knee bent about 110 degrees, right knee as straight as possible while keeping the body weight on the left foot, overall back formed a straight line with the right leg, upper back arched and shoulders curved forward, upper arms naturally down, lower arms pointing in the x-direction with both hands made into a fist palm side up while continuously keeping the body weight on the left foot; (b) S2: mirror image of SI regarding left/right foot and left/right arm; (c) S3: feet, legs, overall back, upper back and shoulders same as S1, upper left arm ahead of upper right arm with left elbow slightly ahead of left wrist, left hand in an open-palm, Christian style praying orientation except having a bent thumb, in the x-direction, and having an index finger separated from the rest of the fingers, left thumb positioned at the same height as but about five (5) inches ahead of the heart, lower right arm pointing approximately in the y-direction with right elbow slightly ahead of right wrist, right hand made into a fist with palm side up and positioned about three (3) inches below the user's belly button while continuously keeping the body weight on the left foot; and (d) S4: mirror image of S3 regarding left/right foot and left/right arm and wherein, accordingly: (e) said foot engaging means further comprises a separate feet board that further comprises a front foot panel and a rear foot panel with both panels oriented and located substantially along the x-axis and spaced apart by an x-spacing that is adjustable, for guiding and correctly positioning the user's feet of stances S1, S2, S3 and S4; (f) said body engaging means further comprises two elbow-engaging members, each being a truss having an up to 6-axis adjustability, for touching thus correctly positioning the user's elbows of stances S3 and S4; (g) said framing structure further comprises a balancing bar, oriented along substantially the y-direction, having two end engaging means and connected to said two elbow-engaging members, for guiding thus correctly positioning the user's fists of stances S1 and S2 through fist gripping; and (h) said framing structure further comprises a preexisting object, made for an apparatus other than the compact stance guide, having two separated, opposing vertical surfaces each lying substantially in the x-z plane for engaging said two end engaging means thus supporting the balancing bar and a third bottom surface for placing thus supporting said separate feet board such that the achievement and holding of stances S3 and S4 provides the following health benefits: (1) direct development of stronger body muscles and better body flexibility; and (2) indirect strengthening of the bladder muscles and nerves causing a reduction of frequent and excess habitual urination and the achievement and holding of stances S1 and S2, respectively being an intermediary of stance S3 and stance S4, provides the following health benefits: (3) direct development of stronger body muscles and better body flexibility; and (4) increasing the easiness and efficiency for bridging stances S1 to S3 and for bridging stances S2 to S4.
 9. The compact stance guide of claim 8 wherein the length of said balancing bar is adjustable so as to provide a snug engagement to the two separated, opposing vertical surfaces of a variety of said preexisting object.
 10. The compact stance guide of claim 8 wherein said hand engaging means further comprises a hand loop oriented substantially in the x-y plane and connected to said balancing bar, said hand loop being disposed for guiding and correctly positioning the user's open-palmed hand of stances S3 and S4.
 11. The compact stance guide of claim 10 wherein said hand loop is adjustably connected to said balancing bar such that the hand loop is adjustable along the z-direction.
 12. The compact stance guide of claim 8 wherein said preexisting object further comprises a door frame with said two separated, opposing vertical surfaces being a left door frame and a right door frame and said third bottom surface being a bottom door frame.
 13. The compact stance guide of claim 8 wherein said preexisting object further comprises a hallway with said two separated, opposing vertical surfaces being a left wall and a right wall and said third bottom surface being the hallway floor.
 14. The compact stance guide of claim 8 wherein said preexisting object further comprises two trees with said two separated, opposing vertical surfaces being the respective surfaces of the tree trunks and said third bottom surface being the ground separating said two trees.
 15. The compact stance guide of claim 8 wherein, for said health benefit to be significant, the holding period for said stances S1 and S2 are further recommended to be progressed from about one (1) minute to about ten (10) minutes a day.
 16. The compact stance guide of claim 8 wherein, for said health benefit to be significant, the holding period for said stances S3 and S4 are further recommended to be progressed from about one (1) minute to about ten (10) minutes each time with a range of practicing frequency to be progressed from about two (2) times to about ten (10) times a day.
 17. The compact stance guide of claim 5 wherein said stances Sj comprise S5, S6, S7 and S8 being characterized by, with an x-y-z Cartesian coordinate wherein the x-direction is where the user body faces, the y-direction runs from the user's right shoulder toward his left shoulder and the z-direction runs vertically upwards: (a) S5: both feet flat and centered in a sagittal plane of the body with right heel against the ground, left foot in front of right foot, left knee bent with left foot as high in the air as possible, right knee bent as much as possible, overall back leaned slightly forward, upper back and shoulders relaxed, both upper arms tilted in the y-z plane so as to slightly open up the arm pits with both lower arms pointing in the x-direction and both hands forming a gripping position as if pushing a wheel barrel; (b) S6: mirror image of S5 regarding left/right foot and left/right arm; (c) S7: feet, legs and overall back same as S5, upper back arched and shoulders curved forward, upper arms naturally down, upper left arm ahead of upper right arm with left elbow slightly ahead of left wrist, left hand in an open-palm, Christian style praying orientation except having a bent thumb, in the x-direction, and having an index finger separated from the rest of the fingers, left thumb positioned at the same height as but about five (5) inches ahead of the heart, lower right arm pointing approximately in the y-direction with right elbow slightly ahead of right wrist, right hand made into a fist with palm side up and positioned about three (3) inches below the user's belly button; and (d) S8: mirror image of S7 regarding left/right foot and left/right arm and wherein, accordingly: (e) said foot engaging means further comprises a separate feet board that further comprises a front foot panel, a center foot panel and a rear foot panel with all panels oriented and located substantially along the x-axis and spaced apart by an adjustable front x-spacing and an adjustable rear x-spacing, for guiding and correctly positioning the user's feet of stances S5, S6, S7 and S8; (f) said body engaging means further comprises two elbow-engaging members, each being a truss having an up to 6-axis adjustability, for touching thus correctly positioning the user's elbows of stances S7 and S8; and (g) said framing structure further comprises a balancing bar, oriented along substantially the y-direction, having two end engaging means and connected to said two elbow-engaging members, said balancing bar further comprising two end grips, each pointing in the negative x-direction, for guiding thus correctly positioning the user's hands of stances S5 and S6 through fist gripping; and (h) said framing structure further comprises a preexisting object, made for an apparatus other than the compact stance guide, having two separated, opposing vertical surfaces each lying substantially in the x-z plane for engaging said two end engaging means thus supporting the balancing bar and a third bottom surface for placing thus supporting said separate feet board such that the achievement and holding of stances S7 and S8 provides the following health benefits: (1) ,direct development of stronger body muscles and better body flexibility; and (2) indirect enhancement of sleep quality and reduction of body weight and the achievement and holding of stances S5 and S6, respectively being an intermediary of stance S7 and stance S8, provides the following health benefits: (3) direct development of stronger body muscles and better body flexibility; and (4) increasing the easiness and efficiency for bridging stances S5 to S7 and for bridging stances S6 to S8.
 18. The compact stance guide of claim 17 wherein the length of said balancing bar is adjustable so as to provide a snug engagement to the two separated, opposing vertical surfaces of a variety of said preexisting object.
 19. The compact stance guide of claim 17 wherein said hand engaging means further comprises a hand loop oriented substantially in the x-y plane and connected to said balancing bar, said hand loop being disposed for guiding and correctly positioning the user's open-palmed hand of stances S7 and S8.
 20. The compact stance guide of claim 19 wherein said hand loop is adjustably connected to said balancing bar such that the hand loop is adjustable along the z-direction.
 21. The compact stance guide of claim 17 wherein said preexisting object further comprises a door frame with said two separated, opposing vertical surfaces being a left door frame and a right door frame and said third bottom surface being a bottom door frame.
 22. The compact stance guide of claim 17 wherein said preexisting object further comprises a hallway with said two separated, opposing vertical surfaces being a left wall and a right wall and said third bottom surface being the hallway floor.
 23. The compact stance guide of claim 17 wherein said preexisting object further comprises two trees with said two separated, opposing vertical surfaces being the respective surfaces of the tree trunks and said third bottom surface being the ground separating said two trees.
 24. The compact stance guide of claim 17 wherein, for said health benefit to be significant, the holding period for said stances S5 and S6 are further recommended to be progressed from about one (1) minute to about ten (10) minutes a day.
 25. The compact stance guide of claim 17 wherein, for said health benefit to be significant, the holding period for said stances S7 and S8 are further recommended to be progressed from about one (1) minute to about ten (10) minutes each time with a range of practicing frequency to be progressed from about two (2) times to about ten (10) times a day.
 26. A method of helping a person achieve and hold one or more pre-determined stances Sj, where j=(1, 2, . . . N) and N>=1, such that the achievement and holding of each Sj provides a corresponding health benefit to the person, the method comprising: (a) providing a foot engaging means for guiding and engaging at least one foot of the person; (b) providing a body engaging means for guiding and engaging at least one part of the person's body; (c) providing a framing structure properly dimensioned and properly connected to the foot engaging means and the body engaging means; (d) while performing steps (a) through (c), identifying at least a portion of at least one of said foot engaging means, said body engaging means and said framing structure from pre-existing objects made for purposes other than achieving and holding said stances Sj; and (e) for each stance Sj, providing a corresponding instruction Ij, where j=(1, 2, . . . N) and N>=1, to the person for achieving and holding said Sj while engaging said foot engaging means and said body engaging means thereby helping the person achieve and hold said Sj.
 27. The method of claim 26 wherein providing said foot engaging means further comprises making the structural dimensions of the foot engaging means relevant to guiding and engaging the person's feet and body adjustable thereby accommodating a pre-determined range of user body and feet variation.
 28. The method of claim 26 wherein providing said body engaging means further comprises making the structural dimensions of the body engaging means relevant to guiding and engaging the person's feet and body adjustable thereby accommodating a pre-determined range of user body and feet variation.
 29. The method of claim 26 wherein providing said framing structure further comprises making the structural dimensions of the framing structure relevant to guiding and engaging the person's feet and body adjustable thereby accommodating a pre-determined range of user body and feet variation.
 30. The method of claim 26 wherein providing said body engaging means further comprises providing a hand engaging means for guiding and engaging at least one of user's hands.
 31. The method of claim 26 wherein providing said body engaging means further comprises providing a safe guard means for reducing the risk of an accidental fall of the person while trying to achieve and hold said stances Sj.
 32. The method of claim 26 wherein providing said framing structure further comprises providing a safe guard means for reducing the risk of an accidental fall of the person while trying to achieve and hold said stances Sj.
 33. The method of claim 26 wherein, for said health benefit to be significant, providing said corresponding instruction Ij further comprises providing a pre-determined recommended range of holding period for said stance Sj.
 34. The method of claim 26 wherein, for said health benefit to be significant, providing said corresponding instruction Ij further comprises providing a pre-determined recommended range of frequency for practicing said stance Sj. 